Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals-Nationals Quiet George Soriano Trade Explained

The St. Louis Cardinals swung yet another deal on Tuesday.
Patrick McAvoy|
Sep 17, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher George Soriano (62) delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Sep 17, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher George Soriano (62) delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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The St. Louis Cardinals have shown over and over again this offseason that they aren't afraid to add a young piece to the organization if they feel like the player has upside.

This was the case once again on Tuesday. The Cardinals announced that they acquired right-handed pitcher George Soriano from the Washington Nationals in exchange for fellow right-handed pitcher Andre Granillo.

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"We have acquired RHP George Soriano from the Washington Nationals in exchange for RHP Andre Granillo," the Cardinals announced. "Welcome to St. Louis, George!"

The Cardinals took out another lottery ticket

Miami Marlins relief pitcher George Soriano
Sep 21, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher George Soriano (62) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

If you're a Cardinals fan, you may be sitting there wondering, why the club landed Soriano. His numbers from the 2025 season aren't great. He made 24 appearances for the Miami Marlins and pitched to an 8.35 ERA across 36 2/3 innings of work. He made his way to the Nationals and actually was designated for assignment recently before the trade.

While this doesn't sound wonderful, he does have something that makes him stand out. Soriano was in the 72nd percentile in fastball velocity in 2025. In comparison, Granillo was in the 54th percentile. The Cardinals are getting a 26-year-old with an above-average fastball. Plus, he has appeared in 72 big league games over the last three seasons. If the Cardinals can get him pointed in the right direction, he's someone who can bring velocity to the bullpen as a depth option. And, again, he's just 26 years old.

This move doesn't sound like much right now. But it's another lottery ticket by Chaim Bloom and the front office as a whole. This is the perfect time to make a deal like this. Spring Training is just about to kick off for the organization, and now is the time to see if you can find lightning in a bottle. The bullpen arguably is the most volatile place in baseball. You can go from a really bad season one year to a really good one the next. The sample sizes for innings are small, so it doesn't take much to skew the numbers. The Cardinals are taking a chance on a guy with a good fastball. There's really not much downside.

More MLB: Cardinals 6-Year Veteran on Trade Watch: 'Coin Flip'

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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